Effect of Climatic Conditions on the Performance of Solar PV Inverters

Electrical equipment designed for a particular environmental condition may not provide satisfactory performance under other conditions of temperature and humidity. Specifically in the case of solar PV inverters, the efficiency and other system characteristics may vary as per the extreme climatic conditions at the place of installation. Here a comparative study of solar PV inverter performance under such extreme conditions is presented in terms of system efficiency and insulation resistance. The conditions as per relevant international standards are simulated in a climatic chamber and five samples are studied for the effect of extreme temperature and humidity conditions. It is found that the insulation resistance of few samples is varying drastically which will affect the system safety. Similarly the efficiency of the system is also affected. Similarly there is considerable change in the system efficiency also.